Change in chicken's behavior due to cold weather?

[spiritpots]

This is my first winter with chickens and things have been going well despite the extreme cold we've had here in Minnesota. I have four chickens but one, Sophia, has been much less active than usual the past 2-3 weeks and her comb has become pale. I have also noticed that she does not seem eager to come out of the coop in the morning compared to the other three who bound right out. Additionally, both tonight and last night Sophia did not go up to the top roosting bar in the coop with the others chickens. She appears active during the day and is eating and drinking but does not show much interest in the treats (mealworms, BOSS or cracked corn) that I give them in the afternoon when it's going to be really cold overnight. The breeder I got the chickens from when they were 6 weeks old thought Sophia was a lavender orpington but she has muffs and is much smaller than my blue orpington (who is huge) so I'm thinking maybe she has another breed in her. Before it got super cold (-28 daytime actual temps) a few weeks ago I would see Sophia in the nesting box and I believe she was laying then but she is definitely not laying now. We have had so much snow lately that none of the chickens will leave the run.

I use the deep litter method and do not add any supplemental heat to the coop so am wondering if perhaps Sophia just got too cold a few weeks ago and will hopefully rebound after the weather finally warms up. Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

 

[leighks]

Pale combs/ waddles are not from the cold, so I would think there’s another problem. Anemia from parasites (external like lice or mites, or internal like worms) would be a concern.

But could she be molting? When they stop laying to molt their combs get more pale- but just a lighter color red, not super pale like light pink or white. How pale is the comb? And how old is the hen?

 

[aart]

@BantyChooks taught me about 'cold reset'. I bring bird into the slightly warmer garage for just a couple-few hours. Makes sure she eats, give her a dose of electrolytes, see what's coming out the other end, and just observe. Then take them back out to coop, has 'saved' a few here, it's pretty amazing how they bounce back.

Birds can get dehydrated in winter as well as summer, so I give the whole flock a dose of EL during really cold spells (<10°F), I just mix up a half gallon of Sav-A-Chick electrolytes/vitamins and put it out in a open waterer for a couple hours so they all get some of it. Of course plain thawed water should always be available, they won't eat if they can't drink.

This winter I soaked rolled oats in the SAC solution so no liquid to dip wattles in.
It worked great. 1/8 tsp SAC powder to 1 cup of water mixed into about a cup or so of rolled oats.

 

[centrarchid]

Handle her to get a feel for here weight. Make pictures of her face and feet for us to look at.

Mine have the capacity to switch between egg production mode to one that is very much about energy conservation, like wild birds do. One of the signs is comb becoming paler, but the birds do not become underweight or exhibit signs of dehydration.

Individuals separating from flock is indicative of a health issue.

 

[spiritpots]

Pale combs/ waddles are not from the cold, so I would think there’s another problem. Anemia from parasites (external like lice or mites, or internal like worms) would be a concern.

But could she be molting? When they stop laying to molt their combs get more pale- but just a lighter color red, not super pale like light pink or white. How pale is the comb? And how old is the hen?[/QUOTE

Here's a pic from this morning (there is a touch of frostbite on the tip of her comb that she got when it was super cold a few weeks ago). No, she is not molting. I checked her for mites but don't see any around her vent or on her feathers under her wings, etc. Her vent is moist but her vent feathers are messy. It's been below zero here the last few days so I've been hesitant to wash them as I don't want her freezing afterwards. I'm also not sure how a chicken who has acclimated to cold outside temps would do if she is brought into a house to be cleaned up that today is 80 degrees warmer than outside. I checked the other chickens (except for my brown leghorn...I couldn't catch her) and they look fine. Sophia's poop is lighter in color and appears more runny, which I know is not normal. If I need to run a fecal sample to the vet is it ok to take in a frozen sample or do you have any thoughts on how to collect one when it's well below freezing outside?

 

[spiritpots]

Here's a pic of Sophia's feet and another of her face.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

past 2-3 weeks and her comb has become pale. I have also noticed that she does not seem eager to come out of the coop in the morning

both tonight and last night Sophia did not go up to the top roosting bar in the coop with the others chickens. She appears active during the day and is eating and drinking but does not show much interest in the treats

Before it got super cold (-28 daytime actual temps) a few weeks ago I would see Sophia in the nesting box and I believe she was laying then but she is definitely not laying now.

Check her crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks - make sure it's empty.
A different photo of the feet - for comparison - her standing on her own of course, but a comparison photo of the feet would be good.
Have you been able to get a good look at her poop? what's that like?
All pullets/hens in your flock?

 

[centrarchid]

I would also go and check on her now and check her crop. Based on is presented thus far, she has a health issue that is at best aggravated by the cold. Be looking for infectious or parasitic agents. Getting her in to a thermally neutral setting should be a priority. Comb coloration screams anemic. How she holds her body and feathers indicated she is have trouble thermoregulating.

 

[spiritpots]

Check her crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks - make sure it's empty.
A different photo of the feet - for comparison - her standing on her own of course, but a comparison photo of the feet would be good.
Have you been able to get a good look at her poop? what's that like?
All pullets/hens in your flock?

View attachment 1689952

View attachment 1689951

When I checked Sophia's crop this morning before she left the coop it was empty. The poop under the roosting bar where she slept looked normal but there is what appears to be runny yellow poop/discharge frozen on her vent feathers, which I saw yesterday afternoon. After I saw that I called the vet about bringing in a fecal sample but they said the sample couldn't be frozen. Our temps have been in the single digits or below zero for the last couple weeks but will be near 32 degrees on Saturday. I could move her into the garage which is a bit warmer and maybe get a sample while she's in there. It's dark in there, though, so I'm not sure that's a good option. On a side note, the vet said the fecal test runs $55 for a chicken, which from what I've read elsewhere on BYC seems high.

Can you clarify for me the type of comparison photos I should take of her feet? They both look normal to me and she is walking fine.

All four hens are about a year old now. Sophia is smaller than the other chickens but she always has been, which is why I don't think she is a pure orpington. She does seem lighter now, though.

I appreciate all of your help with this!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Glad she is walking fine, from your first post it seemed as if she were having mobility problems since she was not roosting and inactive, I misunderstood.

I have no idea what the going rate for a fecal float would be - it all depends on where you live. Vets are more expensive of course. If you live near your Vet Diagnostic lab, chances are testing is much cheaper. https://www.vdl.umn.edu/

Bringing her in where it's warmer may be easier on her. Sick chickens have a hard time and need to be kept warmer. If it's dark in the garage, can you provide her light? Doesn't need to be a heat lamp, just a regular light bulb would be fine.

When was the last time she laid an egg? Have you felt her abdomen for bloat/swelling or fluid - checked for lice/mites?